crockpot chicken and mushroom stew

It's no secret that I love my crock pot...especially during football season when we are at the field until 8:00 PM and eating dinner around 9:00 PM. I love to put dinner in the crock pot in the morning and come home to a yummy dinner at night instead of making a mad dash to the closest drive thru!

1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, diced
1 large stick celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup red wine
3/4 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup tomato paste
Cornstarch slurry to thicken, if desired

Coat inside of 3-4 quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place onion, carrots, celery, garlic and mushrooms in crockpot. Add chicken. Sprinkle with herbs. Add wine. Combine tomato paste and chicken broth, then add to crockpot. Cook on low for 6 hours. Half an hour before the end of cooking, you can add a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch to 1/4 cup of water or slightly cooled cooking liquid) to thicken the sauce.

dijon salmon

This is an easy low fat yummy salmon recipe that everyone will love!!

1 cup low fat or fat-free sour cream
2 tsp dried dill
3 Tbsp scallions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ lb salmon fillet with skin, cut in center
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp black pepper
fat-free cooking spray, as needed

Whisk sour cream, dill, scallions, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard together in large bowl until well blended. Preheat oven to 400º F; while waiting, spray baking sheet with nonstick fat-0free cooking spray. Place salmon, skin side down on baking sheet. Sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper, then spread with sauce. Bake salmon until opaque in center, or about 20 minutes...do not over bake. Renee's tp....steamed broccoli is always a perfect compliment to salmon!

"jerk" chicken

Whether you are trying to lose weight (hand raised) or maintain a healthy heart this marinated and baked chicken is sure to please your taste buds.

½ tsp cinnamon, ground
1 ½ tsp allspice, ground
1 ½ tsp black pepper, ground
1 Tbsp hot pepper, chopped
1 tsp hot pepper, dried, crushed
2 tsp oregano, crushed
2 tsp thyme, crushed
½ tsp salt
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup onion, pureed or finely chopped
¼ C vinegar
3 Tbsp brown sugar
8 pieces chicken, boneless skinless (4 breasts, 4 drumsticks)

Mix all ingredients, except chicken, in a large bowl. Rub seasoning mixture over chicken pieces and marinate in refrigerator for at least 6 hours. Preheat oven to 350 ºF. Space chicken evenly on nonstick or lightly greased baking pan. Nonstick baking spray may be used, if desired. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is tender. Serve with you favorite greens.

steak pie

1 pound round steak cubed
1 tbsp. oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced (I like to use cremini and shitake but any will work)
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup sour cream
2 pie crusts

Salt and pepper meat and brown in oil; add onions, mushrooms water and Worcestershire sauce and saute. Cover and simmer for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add cream and sour cream combining well. Put filling in pie shell and cover with top crust. Cut vents in top crust and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.

sheperd's pie

We have been to Walt Disney World twice and both times we have gone to Rose & Crown in Epcot....It is AMAZING!! We enjoyed the "IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth" (a dazzling Fireworks, Music and Laser Light Show, featured over the World Showcase water feature—it's truly an amazing sight) from the patio and the wonderful food. We feel in love with their Shepard's pie...this is truly a meal EVERYONE will LOVE!!!

2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled, diced
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons milk (approximate)
salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste
2 medium onions, chopped
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can beef broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
paprika (optional)

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F. Drain potatoes and mash; add 2 tbsp of the butter and enough milk to have a firm but not runny consistency. Season potatoes with salt and pepper to taste. Heat 1 tbsp butter in sauté pan; add onion, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add ground beef, and cook until beef is lightly browned; drain off any excess fat. Add carrots and mushrooms to beef and cook until tender, about 10 minutes, adding 1-2 tbsp water to keep beef from drying out, as needed. Add Worcestershire sauce. Stir together and add beef broth and cornstarch; bring all to a boil, stirring constantly.Add nutmeg. Remove from heat. Place meat mixture into oven proof casserole dish; cover with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika if you like. Bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, or until potatoes are light golden.

renee's easy "kung pao" shrimp

when you need a little Kung Pao....

1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon chopped ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper
1 pound shelled, deveined shrimp
1/4 cup oil
1 small onion, diced
1 large or 2 small zucchini, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
1 small red pepper, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
2 ounces cashews

Sauce:
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons rooster chili sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese bean paste, optional
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Combine garlic, ginger, 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, baking soda, sugar, and salt and pepper. Add shrimp, mix, and let stand 20 minutes. Heat oil in a wok. Add the shrimp and stir fry over high heat about 20 seconds, or just until shrimp change color. Remove. Add onion to the same oil and stir fry 1 minute. Add zucchini and red pepper and stir fry about 30 seconds. Mix sauce ingredients together and add to the wok. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is slightly thickened. Add the shrimp and nuts and heat through completely.

skillet lasagna

Mmmm... I love this recipe from Williams-Sonoma!

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 lb. mild Italian sausage, casings removed

4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 cup plus

1 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tbsp. minced fresh sage

9 dried lasagna noodles, cooked al dente

3 lb. butternut squash, neck portion only, peeled and sliced into wide, thin sheets

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 400°F.
In a large nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl.

In the fry pan over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, breaking it into small pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain the sausage on paper towels, then add to the onion mixture.

In the fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the milk, increase the heat to medium-high and cook until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a separate bowl. Stir in 3/4 cup of the cheese, the 1/4 cup parsley, the sage, salt and pepper.

To assemble the lasagna, spread 1/3 cup sauce on the bottom of the fry pan and top with a single layer of 3 noodles. Top with 1/3 cup sauce, 1/3 cup sausage and a layer of squash slices. Repeat the layering of sauce, sausage and squash 5 more times, replacing the squash layer with a layer of noodles after every 2 layers of squash. Top with the remaining sauce and the 1/4 cup cheese.

Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the lasagna is browned and bubbly, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with the 1 Tbs. parsley. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Serves 8 to 10.

renee's crockpot mac & cheese

I am always looking for great crockpot meals to make during football season. Being gone in the evenings until 8:30 PM at practice makes dinner time rough but I have found one favorite that everyone loves and the best part is that it is ready when we get home!!

8 ounces large elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
butter flavor nonstick spray

Place the cooked macaroni in crockpot that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Add the remaining ingredients, all except 1 cup of the cheese, mix well. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese and then cover and cook on low setting for 5 to 6 hours or until the mixture is firm and golden around the edges. Do not remove the cover or stir until it has finished cooking.

poppy seed chicken

This is so easy and yummy!

6-8 chicken breasts
1 1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tubes Ritz crackers crushed
1 can of cream of chicken
2 cubes of butter
1 Tbsp poppy seeds

Wrap chicken breasts in foil and bake at 350 for 45 min. After chicken is baked cut it in small pieces and place in the bottom of a 9x13in casserole dish. Mix cream of chicken with sour cream and spread over the chicken. Melt butter in a bowl and add poppy seeds and Ritz crackers spread over chicken. Bake for 30 minutes.

spaghetti with meatballs

Got meatballs?

1 ½ pounds of lean beef or pork (or use a mixture of both)
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 large slightly beaten egg
½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
2 teaspoons of salt (can use less)
1 teaspoon of black pepper
½ cup of milk
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons of dried parsley

Mix all of the ingredients into a large bowl. Shape the mixture into small-medium sized meatballs. At this point if you don’t want to cook these right now you could put them in the freezer for later. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees, and place the meatballs on a baking sheet. Put your meatballs in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Another cooking method is to simmer the meatballs in pasta sauce for about 40 minutes. This will give them great flavor and texture.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of salted boiling water as box directs. Warm marinara sauce in medium saucepan; add meatballs. Drain pasta and serve with meatballs and sauce.

antipasta salad with tortellini

My boys love pasta and pepperoni so this is a favorite on hot summer nights!!

2 packages (9 ounces each) of refrigerated cheese tortellini (cooked, drained and rinsed)
1 package Mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 large green pepper, chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can (2.25 oz.) sliced pitted ripe olives, drained
1/2 cup cubed mild or spicy pepperoni
1/2 cup cubed salami
1 cup Italian dressing


Combine all ingredients except Italian dressing in large bowl. Add dressing; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate several hours or until chilled.

ratatouille

After the Pixar movie came out my boys wanted to know what Ratatouille was so I found this great recipe and tweaked it a bit and it really made a great easy dinner.

1 19 ounce can tomatoes with juice, broken up
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 medium green or red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup ketchup or chili sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
3 cups sliced green and yellow zucchini, with peel, 1/4 inch thick
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Measure all ingredients into crock pot. Stir and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or high for 4 to 4 1/2 hours. I serve it with some really good crusty bread. Bon Appetit!!

swiss, bacon and mushroom meatloaf

12 ounces bacon, diced
4 medium white mushrooms, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 lbs. extra lean ground beef
1 egg
1/4 cup evaporated milk or half and half
6 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup corn flake crumbs

Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp but not burned. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and cool. Remove all but a tablespoon of the bacon fat from the skillet and saute the mushrooms and onions until tender. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, mix the beef, egg, and milk. Add the mushroom/onion mixture, all but a few spoonfuls of the Swiss cheese and all but one tablespoons of the bacon bits. Add the corn flake crumbs and mix well until blended. Shape into a loaf and place in a large loaf pan. Bake at 350 for about an hour, or until cooked through. Drain fat from the pan and sprinkle the reserved cheese and bacon on top. Bake an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

8 hour roast

Easy and delicious!!

1 3 pound roast
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 can of mushroom soup
1/2 to 3/4 cup of water or burgundy cooking wine

Mix onion soup, mushroom soup and water or wine; pour over roast in crock pot. Cook on low for at least 8 hours. Serve over egg noodles or our favorite garlic mashed potatoes.

pot roast

I love recipes that I can make and forget and it's done perfectly at dinner time especially during football season when we are getting home around 8 and everyone is starving. And leftovers make yummy sandwiches the next day :)

3 to 3-1/2 pound beef boneless chuck roast
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
8 small potatoes, cut in half
3 cups baby carrots
1 large onion, coarsely chopped ( 1cup)
1 jar (5oz) prepared mild horseradish
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup water

Trim excess fat from beef. Heat oil in 10 inch skillet over med-high heat. Cook beef in oil about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides.Place potatoes, carrots and onions in 4 to 6 quart slow cooker. Place beef on vegetables. Mix horseradish, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly over beef. Pour water over beef and vegetables. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours or until beef is fork tender.

stuffed zucchini

yummy yummy yummy!

6 zucchinis

4 Italian sausages or 1 lb. ground beef (we love using Kielbasa in this recipe)

1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes

2 garlic cloves

2 Tbsp white wine

1/4 tsp ground Italian herb seasoning

Optional: fresh basil or other herbs

1 egg

1/2 C grated mozzarella (we like them smothered)

1/4 C grated Parmesan

oil

Salt and pepper

Slice the zucchinis in half lengthwise. Use a spoon and scoop out the insides leaving the zucchinis about 1/4 in thick. Sprinkle the insides of the zucchinis with some salt to draw out excess moisture. Chop the scooped zucchini insides and set aside.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Brown the sausage or ground beef and break it up into small pieces. Remove into a mixing bowl and set aside. In skillet, add the chopped zucchinis, drained tomatoes, garlic, white wine, dried Italian herb mix, salt and pepper to taste. Cook until all of the moisture has absorbed. Mix in the browned sausage and wait until the filling has cooled.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Drain any moisture that may have come out of the filling before mixing in the cheese and egg. Also drain any moisture that has been drawn out of the zucchinis. Mix the egg and cheeses into the filling and scoop generously into the zucchinis. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the zucchinis have softened.

We serve Ciabatta rolls with it.

pork tenderloin with rosemary and garlic

This looks like a lot of work, but it's actually quite simple and tastes great!

2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

cooking spray

Your favorite side vegetable, steamed and seasoned

Preheat oven to 475 F. Combine rosemary and garlic. Make several 1/2 inch slits in pork; place about half of the rosemary mixture in slits. Rub pork with remaining rosemary mixture; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place pork on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest portion of the pork. Bake for 20 minutes or until the thermometer registers 160 F. (slightly pink) or desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes, and cut into 1/4 -inch-thick slices. Serves 4.

cafe rio salad

This is a copycat recipe for one of my favorite places to eat in Utah when we visit. If you've never had Cafe Rio, you'll fall in love with this recipe!

Cafe Rio pork
3 lbs pork roast (shoulder or butt)
16 oz chunky salsa
1 can coke
2 cup brown sugar

Place pork in crock pot and fill half way up the side of the pork with water. Cook on high for 4 hours. drain water. Cut pork into thirds, then mix sauce (coke, brown sugar, and salsa) and pour on top. Cook 4 more hours on low. shred pork. Mix back in with sauce if you want it saucy or not.

Click on the links for recipes

Cafe Rio lime-rice

lime-cilantro vinaigrette

Cafe Rio creamy cilantro tomatillo salad dressing

black beans
(I just used a can of black beans without anything else, but this recipe looks good too)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 cup tomato juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

burrito

tortilla
rice beans
pork
shredded cheese
any other toppings wanted
roll it up

(I found a chicken recipe if you would like to substitute chicken instead of pork)

Cafe Rio chicken
1 small bottle of kraft zesty italian dressing
1 tbs chili powder
1 tbs cumin
3 cloves garlic-minced
5 lbs chicken breast

Cook all together in a crockpot for 4 hours on high, shred, then cook for an additional 1 hour.

salad- order of assembly
tortilla - I use the land o lake brand of uncooked flour tortillas from costco or sams. They are awesome and taste like cafe rio's homemade tortillas

shredded colby and monterray jack cheese
rice
beans
pork
lettuce
pico de gallo - [or chopped tomatoes, diced onions, cilantro, lime juice]
guacamole
feta cheese crumbles
cilantro
lime wedge (or lime juice)
tortilla strips (I just made my own by baking a finely shredded tortilla until crispy)
cilantro tomatillo dressing

ENJOY!

chicken cordon bleu casserole

1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
4 boneless chicken breasts
4 slices of ham
1 cup grated cheese

For sauce mix sour cream and cream of chicken soup together. Wrap the ham around each chicken breast and lay in a 9" square pan. Pour sauce over chicken, then cover with grated cheese. Cook at 350 for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

beef stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff is real comfort food in our house...you will find comfort in it too!!

2 pounds beef tenderloin cut into bite sized pieces
2 cups fresh mushrooms sliced, I like to use shitake & cremini
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 16 oz. (2 cups) container sour cream
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup red cooking wine
1 - 14 oz. can beef broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Lightly coat tenderloin pieces with flour and salt and pepper. In a large saucepan, saute beef in butter with onions, mushrooms and garlic until meat is browned and onions and mushrooms are tender. Add Worcestershire sauce and beef broth and cook over medium heat for 10 - 15 minutes. Stir in sour cream and wine and heat for about 5 minutes. Serve over hot cooked wide egg noodles.